The following was posted on MLBTraderumors---- I hope it is okay to post here. Matt Capps is considered an option???[FONT=Helvetica Neue]" So who closes for the Cubs now? James Russell?[/FONT][FONT=Helvetica Neue]free agent i say they will go after Matt capps"[/FONT]

If that deal - that the Angels send Haren + $3.5M to the Cubs for Marmol - was really the deal, there are roughly 28 other GMs that would have jumped into bed with the Angels, too.

Supposedly, the whole reason the Angels were moving Haren was because they were on the hook for $3.5M. They're trying to save some money to pay to Greinke. By moving Haren, they either were going to get someone else to pay it, or pay it themselves and still get another player out of the deal.

So I don't get this deal from the Angels standpoint. Why would they want to pay $9.8M for Marmol next year AND pay $3.5M to make Haren go away? It doesn't make any sense unless they have a totally irrational mancrush on Marmol, in which case nobody can match it . And, by the way, if that was the deal, there is NO WAY the Cubs back out of that. Like Epstein wouldn't give up Marmol and $2.7M for Haren? C'mon.

I don't know if we'll ever hear the full story, but there is no way that deal was the deal.

I totally agree, with that take. Not a chance the Cubs were backing out of that deal unless they were forced to because Marmol refused the trade. The Cubs sounded willing to give Marmol away at times last year.

I could see the deal from the Angels perspective though. Aside from signing Greinke, one of their main focuses this offseason will be securing back end of the bullpen help, and they do love their hard throwers. You're right though, can't imagine the Angels would deal Haren to clear up less than $3 million, unless there was also talk of a Soriano/Wells swap too. Both teams have bad contract outfielders, but Wells contract is $3 million per year worse than Soriano's. You'd think they wouldn't be able to keep that aspect of a deal secret, but that would have helped the Angels free up an extra $3 million, and it also would have given the Cubs a reason to say no.

I have no idea what the Angels were doing even considering this ridiculous trade. I mean . . . it is RIDICULOUS. If it is true that Marmol was on board and the Cubs pulled out anyway . . .wow. Now both GMs are pretty bad "deciders."

Maybe there were also some minor league players involved--as in some Cubs prospect for a scrub in return? Then it *might* make sense from the Cubs perspective, but dumping Marmol is a golden idea. He is not very good in that role.

I have no idea what the Angels were doing even considering this ridiculous trade. I mean . . . it is RIDICULOUS. If it is true that Marmol was on board and the Cubs pulled out anyway . . .wow. Now both GMs are pretty bad "deciders."

Maybe there were also some minor league players involved--as in some Cubs prospect for a scrub in return? Then it *might* make sense from the Cubs perspective, but dumping Marmol is a golden idea. He is not very good in that role.

Right. Haren actually has value, but the Angels so poorly played their hand that they were willing to take whoknows Marmol in return. Pfft.